Growers invited to get hands dirty at soils forums

Grain growers in Western Australia’s southern cropping regions are invited to attend hands-on events where they can review locally relevant and practical ways of addressing soil constraints on their properties.

A number of Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Managing Soil Constraints Forums are being held in the Esperance and Albany port zones in July.

GRDC Grower Relations Manager – West, Jo Wheeler, said the events, to be offered with the support of local grower groups, would give growers the opportunity to talk with a team of visiting soil science specialists.

“The forums aim to give growers access to information and tools to identify soils that will respond predictably to soil amelioration techniques, and then be able to match inputs on these areas to optimise profits,” she said.

“These events will allow time for sharing grower experiences and discussion with specialist soil scientists.

“Time will be spent out in the paddock at soil pits, followed by a ‘shed talk’.”

Soil constraints to be discussed will include deep ripping, salinity, wind erosion, compaction, non-wetting soils and sub-soil sodicity, as well as other soil management issues that are relevant to the local area.

Ms Wheeler said the five-year, $33 million Soil Constraints West initiative – a co-investment by the GRDC and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) – had delivered a number of key findings and tactics, many of which would be explored during the soil forums.

“Some of the Soil Constraints West outcomes included a focus on strategic tillage including inversion tillage; deep-ripping; lime incorporation; gypsum application; water harvesting; improved mapping of soil constraints; and the development of decision support tools,” she said.

Specialists attending the GRDC Managing Soil Constraints Forums will include DPIRD staff; Richard Bell / Richard Harper from Murdoch University; Mark Conyers, formerly of the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries; James Fisher, of Desiree Futures; Wayne Pluske, of Equii; and other agricultural consultants.

GRDC Soil Constraints West Forums will be held at:

Ravensthorpe (9.30am-2.30pm, Wednesday, July 17) – Elisa Spengler, Ravensthorpe Agricultural Initiative Network (RAIN), [email protected] 0417 174 299
Holt Rock (9.30am-2.30pm, Thursday, July 18) – Clare Hyde, Holt Rock Group, [email protected] 0427 085 178
Lake Grace (9.30am-2.30pm, Friday, July 19) – Georgia Reid, Lakes Information and Farming Technology (LIFT) [email protected] 0447 523 110
Darkan (11am-4pm, Monday, July 22) – Tim Harrington, Compass Agricultural Alliance, [email protected] 0427 361 228
Kojonup (9.30am-2.30pm, Tuesday, July 23) – Marissa Maitland, Southern Dirt, [email protected] 0458 181 907
Toolbrunup (10am-3pm, Wednesday, July 24) – Karl Letter, Toolbrunup Group, [email protected] 9825 8270
Jerramungup (10am-3pm, Thursday, July 25) – Maddie Wylie, Fitzgerald Biosphere Group, [email protected] 0421 645 410